Shutter



Patented .lune 3, i924.

siren "raras 1,496,223 rarnur oFFlcE.

RUDOLPH HOFFMAN, F KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR'EORATION OF NEW YO'RK.

SHUTTER.

Application led May 3,

To all who/m t 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, RUDoLri-r HOFFMAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Kankakee, in the county of Kankakee and State of lllinois,have invented certain new and useful improvements in Shutters, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates in general, to shutters, and more particularly contemplates the l0 provision of a shutter for' closing the opening'in the front wall of a kitchen cabinet -or the like.

The general object of the invention is to provide a iexible shutter of advantageous construction which is operable from a closed position over the opening into a collapsed position at one edge nof the opening and vice versa.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provde a shutterl of the character indicated comprising a series of hinged leaves mounted for relative pivotal movement so as to be capable of assuming either an extended or a collapsed relation, in which spring means are provided for normally restraining such pivotal movement of the leaves. Y

" rlhe objects of the invention thus generally stated, together with other and ancillary advantages, are attained by the construction and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a kitchen cabinet equipped with a shutter which is constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical fragmentar 1 sectional view of the rear side of the shutter showing the leaves in extended relation. Fig. 3 is Ya fragmentary vertical sectional viewV showing the leaves in end elevation and illustrating the manner in which the leaves swing intocompact relation; `Fig. 4 isa similar view showing the leaves of the shut- Y ter extended. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating t-he action of the spring means in the operation of folding the leaves from one position to another. Y

Referring now to Fig. 1 ofthe drawings, the invention is shown applied to a kitchen cabinet which may be of any preferred form and is Vherein shown as comprising a base section 1, a top section 2, the base section being provided withqthe usual work table 3 and the top section having in its front wall a `frame defining an opening 4' which is adapted to be closed by a shuttervindicated 1920. Serial No. 378,375.

generally by the numeral 5. The frame defining the opening 4 may comprise opposite side bars 6, a top' bar 7 and a bottom bar 8.

The shutter comprises ak plurality of leaves 9 hinged together so as toswing relative to each other, and one end of the shutter is pivotally secured at -one edge (herein the upper edge) of theopening 4. Preferably the shutter is madev of sheet metal, butany other suitable or preferred material may, of course, be employed.

7The-'means for hingedly connecting the leaves together herein preferably comprises a plurality of hinge members 10 each comprising a rod 10a mounted centrally of each leaf upon the rear side thereof so as to provide a central longitudinal axis for the leaf. At the opposite ends of said rod 10v are provided arms or links 10b extending in a generally rectangular direction from the rod 10a and carrying at their ends laterally ex- 1 tending portions or studs 10c which are pivotally mounted at the lower edges ofthe adjacent leaves. Preferably the studs 10 are formed integral with a rod 10d pivotally mounted at the adjoining edge of the upper adjacent leaf, the rod extending throughout the length of each leaf and the lower edge 0f the leaf being beaded as at 11 so as to receive the rod. rThe means for pivotally mounting the rod 10a of the hinge member upon the leaves may consist of a plurality of cleats l2 suitably shaped to provide bearings for the rod. The hinge member of the upper end leaf, as shown in Fig. 2', is similar to the hinge members of the other leaves except that' the rod 10d is omitted, the studs 10 being mounted in suitable bearing members 13 upon the innersides of the side portions 6 'of the shutter frame and at the upper end thereof. At the lower edge of the lowermost leaf the studs 10c are provided. upon the opposite ends of a rod 10d, the portions 1()gd and 10b providing the hinge member being in this instance omitted'.

The means for guiding the leaves in their movement from Vopen to closed'position and vice versa comprises guideways 14 provided at the opposite side edges of the opening 4. Herein said guideways are formed by an inwardly extending flange 15 bent up from the metal forming the 'side portions of the shutter frame 6, in spaced relation with reference to the inner side of said side portions 6.

' about its axis, the rod' 10d and the leaf are `forced apart by themember 16 so that both the rodl and the leaf provide the spring action `Which is desired, The result is that the leaves Iare, n iaintjained in eitherutheir col- :lapsed or extended relation by the spring means until positively operated about their `pivots inthe movement of the shutter'bygthe operator.

I For. facilitating the operation of the shutter itmay be provided at its lovverend With suitable finger pieces orA hooks 17. Thesehools may be pivotally mounted upon the rodflOl, of the lower end leaf and arranged to overhang thelower ortion 8 of l theshutter frame, as shown in ig. 4. 25 V .supportingl the leaves intheir collapsed Any suitable means may beprovided for formsuch,.forexample as a spring member or catch 1Sy which is automatically operable to operatively engage the leaves as they are moved into their uppermost position. Said `catchmember may beI secured at its upper end upon the upper portion E of the shutter frame 6, centrally thereof.

Itfvvill be seen that l have provided a shutter Which is of 'relatively simple constructionand is capable of being easily operated either from an extendedl or` closed position into a collapsed or open position, or. viceversa. It is to be unclersood` however, that although the invention is herein described With considerable particularity it is contemplated that various` changes may be made Withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the. following claims.

Claims Ato the shutter-broadly. in combination with a kitchenV cabinet, `are contained in. my copending application Serial No. 502,338, filing dateSe-ptember 22, 1921.

I claim as my invention:

1. Afshutter comprising a series ofhinged leaves for closing an opening in a Wall, guideways provided at the sides of said opening -With which the opposite edges of the shutter are adapted to slidably enga-ge to guide thelealves in their-up and down move- -1nent, said leaves being mounted for pivotal movement vvithrespect to each otherv so as to be foldable one upon the other into a compact stack. and spring means. for resisting the pivot-al movement of` the-leaves.

2. A shutter rfor closing an opening in a wall comprising a plurality of leaves, lhinge devices for connecting said leaves together for relative pivotal movement, each of said devices providing a pivotal axis located approximately centrally of each leaf and extending longitudinally thereof, guide studs at one longitudinal edge of each of the leaves, guideways provided at the sides of said opening for receiving and guiding said studs, and spring means tending to resist therelative pivotal movement of the leaves.

3. A shutter for an opening comprising a plurality of leaves, hinge devices comprising a rod mounted approximately centrally of each leaf to provide a longitudinal axis therefor, means connecting said rods with one edge of an adjacent leaf, means for guiding `the leaves for movement across said opening, and means normally resisting the relative pivotal movement ofthe leaves.

4:. A shutter of the character described comprisinga plurality of leaves, and hinge devices forconnecting the leaves together to permit of their operation into collapsed relation from an extended relation yor vice versa, said devices comprising a link at each lend of the leaf pivotally connected at one end With the kleaf substantially upon its central longitudinal axis and at itsother end with the adjoining edge of an adjacent leaf.

5. A shutter of the characterV described comprising a plurality of leaves,` and hinge ,devices for connecting the leaves together to permit of their operation into collapsed relation'from an extended relation or vice versa,.said hinge devices comprising a longimeans adapted to resist the pivotal lmovement of its leaf upon the rod as: an axis.

6. A shutter of the character described comprising a plurality of` leaves, andlhinge deviceshfor connecting the leaves togetherto permit of their operation into collapsed relation-from an extended relation or vice versa, said deviceseach comprising an arm pivotally mounted at one end upon the, central longitudinal of one leaf axis, and alrod pivotally mounted upon the. adjoining edge of an adjacent leaf. andconnected with the opposite end of said arm.

7. Av shutter ofthe character described comprising a plurality of leaves, and hinge devices for connecting the leavestogether to permit of their operation into .collapsedre- 8. A shutter of the character described comprising a plurality of leaves, hinge devices adapted to connect the leaves together for relative pivotal movement, each of said devices having a pair of parallel members one of which is pivoted approximately on the central longitudinal axis of one leaf and the other of which is pivoted to the edge of an adjacent leaf, and a third member connecting said parallel members together.

9. A shutter of the character described comprising a plurality of leaves, hinge devices adapted to connect the leaves together for relative pivotal movement, each of said devices having a pair of parallel members one of which is pivoted approximately upon the central longitudinal axis of one leaf and the other of which is pivoted to the edge of an adjacent leaf, a third member connecting said parallel members together, and means for guiding the leaves from an extended edge to edge relation to a collapsed relation comprising a guideway and a stud rigid with the member connected to the edge of each leaf adapted to operate in said guideway.

10. A shutter for kitchen cabinets and the like comprising, in combination, a plurality of leaves, hinge devices for connecting said leaves together and each comprising a pair of parallel rods one of which is pivoted approximately midway between the edges of one leaf and the other end of which is pivoted to the adjoining edge of an adjacent leaf, arms connecting said rods atv the opposite ends of each leaf, a stud rigid with the rod at the edge of each leaf, and means for receiving the stud to provide guideways therefor.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

RUDOLPH HOFFMAN. 

